Let’s Stay Aware, Use the Outdoors to help Control Corona Fear

It helps. The beach, the sand, the lake, the trees, the birds, the fish, the deer, the sunset.

These are wonderful diversions.

As all folks are responsible when we need to be, corona-fear is legitimate. Visiting the beach with your close family can help. Controlled numbers of people, people you are with regularly, are good things to share. The air is fresh, beach attendance is relatively nill, there might be fish to catch and shark teeth to find. Good stuff.

Mind diversion can be a key resource option for many. Want to stay at home? Read a book. Find one with birds and fish and wildlife. So relaxing. Want to laugh? Pulldown an internet from Patrick McManus. He was my favorite American humor writer. He wrote such classics as, A fine and Pleasant Misery, The Grasshopper Trap, and many others. Gut-splitting laughter can be the only result. After one chapter, everything in your life will be better.

So yesterday afternoon, my visiting family and I did all the responsible things first, We washed up with soap and hot water for 20 seconds, then used a recommended disinfectant to wipe down all of our door handles, light switches, faucets, counter tops, the car, the fishing rods, beverage cans and everything else. We’re in Florida and like many other places around the country, there is a gentle semi-fear and ready-to-respond awareness of things to do and not do. All good.

Birds of all sorts are common along the Florida coastlines. Casperson Beach near Venice is popular with birds and shark tooth hunters.

Then as I swept my email arrivals, this one site from Trip Advisor seemed to sum it up perfectly in fewer words than anywhere else.

Trip Advisor CEO, Steve Kaufer shared the following: “As a site that millions around the world count on for travel guidance, Tripadvisor is closely monitoring the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on both travelers and the travel industry. We care deeply about your safety, whether you are at home or traveling. With this in mind, I would like to share some resources we’ve created and the actions we’re taking to help you make informed decisions about your own travel plans.

Helping you make travel decisions: As this situation rapidly evolves, we know there is an atmosphere of uncertainty as travelers wonder if they should change their plans. That’s why, starting today, Tripadvisor will feature alerts for destinations that the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated as heavily impacted. We’ve also launched a new resource page to bring all the latest COVID-19 travel information from trusted sources together in one place.

Keeping you informed if you are traveling: As travel-related business owners continue to adapt as a result of COVID-19, they are making changes to their hours, making changes in service or even temporarily closing. We are making daily updates to the information on our site to keep travelers informed. We’re also doing what we can to help businesses in impacted regions, by providing them with tips and advice on how to weather this challenging time.

What you can do to stay healthy: Whether you’re at home or traveling, the WHO recommends practicing good hygiene to protect yourself against infection — by washing your hands frequently with soap or alcohol-based sanitizer, maintaining distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth. If you become sick, please seek medical attention quickly.

For more information, anyone can visit the Tripadvisor resource page. You can also connect to other travelers and join discussions about COVID-19, and how it may affect your plans in Tripadvisor’s forums.”

After the beach last night, we arrived home, wiped down all the same things and we stayed aware. Then at dinner, we prayed. It helps us to share our strengths. The Creator is our biggest strength.